How do I fix DE-R-017?

Invoice Navigator automatically fixes this issue by correcting the `cbc:InvoiceTypeCode` element in your Invoice (DE-R-017). You can also use Invoice Navigator's compliance engine to correct this automatically in your pipeline.

Is DE-R-017 a critical error?

Yes, DE-R-017 is a critical error that will cause invoice rejection. It must be fixed before submission.

Can DE-R-017 be automatically fixed?

Many instances of DE-R-017 can be automatically corrected using Invoice Navigator's compliance engine. The fix is applied in your pipeline with full audit evidence.

errorDEUEN 16931

`DE-R-017`:Invalid invoice type code. German invoices only allow specific type codes:...

Invalid invoice type code. German invoices only allow specific type codes: 326 (partial), 380 (commercial), 384 (corrected), 389 (self-billed), 381 (credit note), 875-877 (construction).

Severity

Fatal

Rule set

EN 16931

Country

DEU

Fix type

AUTO-FIX

Confidence

80%

Engine Classification

Ensure seller postal code is present for XRechnung compliance

Confidence: 80% · Applied automatically in pipeline

What is DE-R-017?

DE-R-017 is a fatal validation rule defined in the EN 16931 specification (DEU national rules). It validates the PostalZone element under Party > PostalAddress in the UBL invoice XML.

When this rule fires, the invoice is non-compliant and will be rejected by Peppol access points and national validation services. The sending system receives a rejection response and the invoice does not reach the buyer.

Target path: //cac:AccountingSupplierParty/cac:Party/cac:PostalAddress/cbc:PostalZone

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Why This Error Matters

Invoice will be rejected by German XRechnung validators. Germany has additional mandatory fields beyond EN16931 baseline, including seller contact details, complete addresses, and buyer reference (Leitweg-ID).

DE-R-017 is a hard failure. Invoices that trigger this rule are rejected at the access point and never reach the recipient. In Peppol networks, this means your sending system receives an MLR (Message Level Response) with a rejection status. The invoice must be corrected and re-sent, adding delay to your payment cycle.

Invoice Navigator can automatically correct this error in your pipeline. The fix is applied with full audit evidence, so your compliance trail remains intact.

Validator Behavior

·Causes invoice rejection
·Rejected by XRechnung endpoints
·Error returned: DE-R-017
·Specification: EN 16931

Before / After

Failing XML

<Invoice>
  <cbc:InvoiceTypeCode>INVALID_CODE</cbc:InvoiceTypeCode>
</Invoice>

Corrected XML

<Invoice>
  <cbc:InvoiceTypeCode>VALID_CODE</cbc:InvoiceTypeCode>
</Invoice>

Technical Reference

XPath//cac:AccountingSupplierParty/cac:Party/cac:PostalAddress/cbc:PostalZone

SpecEN 16931

Operationset_default

StrategyEnsure seller postal code is present for XRechnung compliance

Common Causes

·Invoice type code not valid for German e-invoicing
·BT-3 must be 326, 380, 384, 389, 381, 875, 876, or 877
·cbc:InvoiceTypeCode contains unsupported value
·German validation limits allowed invoice types
·UNTDID 1001 code not in XRechnung permitted list

Seeing this in production? The API handles DE-R-017 automatically. See the fix response →

Handle DE-R-017 Automatically in Your Pipeline

The compliance engine auto-remediates this error with controlled safety policies and evidence pack generation.

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DE-R-017:Invalid invoice type code. German invoices only allow specific type codes:...